Melon sa Malamig (Filipino Melon Drink)

This Filipino Melon Drink known in the Philippines as Melon sa Malamig is one of the OG infused waters.  It's simply cantaloupe with lots of sweetend ice water.  Perfect for a super hot day.

Filipino Melon Drink

Melon Sa Malamig is the drink of my childhood.  Stringy melon in ice cold sugar water.  It's as simple as it sounds, just cantaloupe infused water.  However the version I grew up with they added so much sugar that the water got super thick.

I remember this drink during the summers in any place that I have lived in. It was always available at the local drink stand on the corner in the Philippines or in Filipino Festivals in Japan and Australia. When I was living in Singapore it was a drink option on the menu.

In this version, we are going to keep the added sugar to a minimum.  The key is to pick the sweetest cantaloupe to use so that you don't have to add anything to this Filipino Melon Drink.

How to Pick a Super Ripe Cantaloupe

I asked some experts and this is what to look out for when you are shopping for a super sweet cantaloupe.

• Carry the melon.  It should feel heavier than it looks.  It means it's super juicy inside.
• Smell the melon.  It should smell a little musky and super sweet even before it hits your nose.
• Look at the melon.  The netting should be raised, thick and well defined.  It's a signal that I am ready to be eaten.
• Also look for bee lines on the fruit. Some people avoid imperfect melons, but it turns out those could be the best for making Melon sa Malaming.

Let's Make Melon sa Malamig!

Now that you have your perfect super sweet cantaloupe, let's make this Filipino Melon Drink.  The key to extracting sweetness is to make sure you save all the juice coming out of the melon.  Especially from the seeds.

So once you cut it open scoop it out and place it in a sieve over a bowl and start pressing out the juices.  Reserve it while you prep the rest of the melon.

There are several ways to make the melon strings.  One is to get a melon scraper.  All you have to do is keep scraping until you get to the rind of the melon.  It's a good idea to place the melon you a scraping in a large bowl so that you don't loose any of the sweet sweet juice.

Alternatively if you have a handy food processor with a grater attachment, cut the melon into ⅛ and run it through.

Once you have all the juice and the melon strings prepared, place everything in a large pitcher and cover with water.  Leave it to sit for at least an hour (overnight is best to get the flavor marinating).  Taste the melon infused water and if it's a touch bland you can add a little date syrup to it.  Just to make the cantaloupe flavor pop.

Serve it with lots of ice and a spoon so that you can eat the melon strings after you finish the water.  It's the best part of Melon sa Malamig (translates to cold melon in Tagalog).

For more  Filipino inspired goodness in your life follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.  Or subscribe to get these recipes in your inbox.  And if you make this recipe.   I would love to see it.  Tag your Instagram snaps with @rezelkealoha and #rezelkealohaeats.